David Miliband

Foreign Secretary

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Friday 27 February, 2009

Iran's Bushehr reactor

Some say switching on Iran's Bushehr reactor on 25 February will only add to west's concerns about Iran's nuclear programme. Iran says this shows we want to deny them their rights to nuclear power - important to be clear neither is true.

We have no problem with the Bushehr power reactor. If that was all they had, there would be no lack of confidence in their intentions. But it is not all they have. At Natanz and Arak they are also pursuing what the UNSC has called 'proliferation sensitive nuclear activities'. And they are doing so in defiance of UNSCRs requiring the suspension of these activities, as well as against the background of past non-compliance with their safeguards obligations, of continuing non-cooperation with IAEA enquiries into what the Agency has called 'possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear pogramme', and of other difficulties they are creating for the IAEA as set out in the Agency's recent report.

It is worth emphasising that far from denying states access to nuclear energy, the UK is committed to working with our international partners to help meet the challenge. Our intention is to develop a mechanism for the assured supply of nuclear fuel to states seeking nuclear energy, without the need to further develop their own domestic enrichment and reprocessing programmes. We believe this makes economic sense, encourages transparency and openness and promotes non-proliferation 

Posted at 08:28 27 February 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[5]

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Only one country has used a nukes on people so far as I know the USA, with Bush in charge it might have been a second time as the idiot said he could not say say he would not use them. Then we have Israel who has them and if pushed I think they use them knowing the USA would rush to help them, We are told this week America will pull out of Iraq slowly but as we know they will end up leaving 50,000 in the new camp they have built. This of course would be first strike troops on Iran. As far I can see while Israel has nukes other countries will want to have the strike capability and who the hell can blame them. These weapons are dangerous and nobody should have them of course Brown will want to spend a few billion to get a few more.

Posted by Robert on February 27, 2009 at 08:58 PM GMT #

Right to acquire nuclear energy is a justifiable reason. But the problem is if such a state lacks responsible state mechanisms to responsibly manage their uranium enrichment activities, the threat of proliferation will soon change the way the world talk about international security. The lack of democratic institutionalization, high profile power politics and the irrational forms of governance are dangerous formulas when become entangled with nuclear intentions.

Posted by Chamila Liyanage on March 02, 2009 at 02:25 AM GMT #

David So you're saying that as long as they don't produce the goods themselves they can have Nuclear energy. How very gracious of you. Why don't we go a step further and ask them to stop R&D in all types of technological areas so we can supply them with everything they need. Why should the Iranians be dependent on western energy? Or do you want to keep the middle east from progressing by bombing it back into the dark ages. Who died and made you god?

Posted by Rashid Al-Hafiz on March 02, 2009 at 05:02 PM GMT #

As a blogger yourself I hope you will follow up this message from Committee to Protect Bloggers http://committeetoprotectbloggers.org/2009/03/18/omir-reza-misayafi-has-died-in-prison/ and ask the Iranian government for their explanation of the circumstances of Omir Reza Misayafi's death.

Posted by OwenE2 on March 19, 2009 at 04:46 PM GMT #

I am Persian, and i support Iranians in full, even if they are building WMD, and they are !!! US and the UK know it and thats why they are worried ! The world is changing fast, its next generation, next technology and next century after all. Its not any more USA and the UK, its time for China, Russia and Iran. It can well be any other state, but currently only this three countries have the capability of being the world-player. But how this shift is going to happen and in what cost, only God knows. After all, one hundred million David Miliband can not change the course Iran has taken. At last, i want to tell western public that Iranians are the most peace seeking and polite nation, if you don't believe me then please visit Iran once in your lifetime and then make the comparison of what you think know or what you are told !!!

Posted by Jamshed on March 26, 2009 at 05:29 AM GMT #

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